ebay seat heaters

I have the Wet Okole heater on the driver's side and I like it so I decided to try and install a permanent solution for both seats. Searching TW lead me to the ebay heaters like these here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180781109257?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

The wiring consists of 4 leads coming out of the on/off switch:

1) ground
2) 'Night Light' - 18 gauge or so
3) 'On Wire' - 18 gauge or so (5 amp inline fuse)
4) power - 10 gauge or so (10 amp inline fuse)





Does anyone know if the dimmer works or is there just one brightness on the switches?

On my 2012 Tacoma switches will go by the USB connector under the A/C controls. I'm going to try and splice in the 'on wire' and 'night light' to something behind the A/C. Any advice on how to get this done or alternative suggestions? If you were wiring this up what would you tie each of the 4 leads to?

Does the 10-ish gauge power wire need to go to the battery or should I splice in elsewhere? I have a fusebox under the hood I can use for power. Do I need to do separate wiring for each seat heater?

Other comments/suggestions from people who have these heaters?

 

subd for responses.

 

I use to work for a couple of stereo shops and these wires all look pretty standard. I'm just not too sure about the dimmer wire. I would think that if you hook that one up to the illumination wire you have on your dash it would work. I would double check if that's a positive with a test light or a voltage meter though. In regards to hooking the wires up to the same place. I bought the ebay heated seat (the round ones) and that only needs an accessory wire and a ground so i tapped both sides (passenger and driver) to the ignition harness. I haven't had any problems. I did initially tapped it to the cigarette wire (no cigarette wire but, i forget what those are called at the moment - the ones you connect to put a car charger) and popped fuses like crazy.

 

You don't want to go right to the battery. You'll forget to turn them off and drain your battery.

 

This makes sense. I wonder If there's a blank in the cabin fuse box I can use?

 

I have those exact seat heaters. I used 2 mini add-a-fuse, 1 for each side. They were both auxiliary based fuses, so no burning the battery without the key inserted. Then used wires behind the hazard area for illumination. I believe it was the same wires that flyzeye uses for their dash light kit.

Sorry I don't have more details, but I don't remember exactly as I was doing cup holder, console, and glove box led's at the same time. I didn't want to take the dash apart too many times.

 

Does the dimmer work?

 

No. I believe the switches use a shared ground for the switch light, and the power light. Need power and ground (green + green/w stripe) connected with dash wires to sync with dash lights for dimming.

Not blinding though. I switched to larger white lights, and still not overly bright.

 

thanks for the heads up. i'll try and swap out the green with some white bulbs.

 

Just FYI, they are soldered on the board. Switches are easy to take apart though.

 

yeah i was messing around with them and i actually couldn't get the switch apart. the coverplate comes off easily enough but i couldn't pry the switch apart to get at the led. i just need to spend some more time with it. i was being kind of ginger because i didn't want to break it.

if you're up to it, please post a pic of the white leds in the truck.

 

Thinking about this kit as well. CWG do they heat well? Install with seats in or out?

 

Subd for info...

 

subd

 

If I remember correctly, there were 2 halves for top and bottom. I believe 2 little tabs on each side were holding them together with a half square below the tab. I just used a mini flathead screwdriver to pull apart. The board just rested in there, with the dial attached to one side. Sorry that I don't have any pics of it pulled apart. I'll snap some white led pics to see if you like the look.

 

They heat great on the upper settings. Gets too hot for my wife, which is saying something. I rarely use them, but when I do it only takes 5 min. or so for me at halfway. I have the stock TRD fabric, so not frozen on cold mornings to begin with.

I installed with them out, as I was doing sound deadening and other lighting upgrades at the same time. Could probably do with them in, but I wanted more room for the wiring work as I ran power behind the radio along a factory wire bundle.

 

So since you have fabric seats no worries on them catching on fire? One of the stereo shops here when I asked about them said they don't recommend them in cloth seats because they can catch fire easier.

 

No. All our family cars over the last 15 years, have had heated seats. I've done 6 myself and 4 of those have been fabric. Never an issue. Always added to accessory circuit, so they never stay on endlessly.

 

Here's a couple pics I had. Daytime photos, so not the greatest, but gives general idea compared to dash above.

 

Curious if I could install these between my factory cloth seat cover and my Clazzio (however it is spelled) seat covers...